* * *

Rumors spread throughout the castle in one day.

When Zerkan heard the news that Raphine had passed away, he ran to his place without even breathing.

"Raphine!"

Raphine, who was lying on the bed, opened her eyes and slowly got up.

When I glanced at the servants who had followed Zerkan, the servants took them out without notice.

Zerkan was busy checking Raphine's well-being.

"I heard that. What...."

"I'm fine. I was pretending to be down."

"What?"

Zerkan's forehead was wrinkled.

"It just happened. So nothing to worry about."

"Pretending to be down, how much I...!"

Zerkan bit her lip. If you're going to act like that, tell me in advance....

"Are you that worried?"

Raphine asked as if wondering. Zerkan, who exhaled vigorously, shook his head.

"... No, not much. I was just surprised."

The answer was firm.

'I'm not even going to say no....'

Raphine pouted her lips, feeling a strange sadness inside.

It was then.

bang!

The door swung open and the sound of footsteps was heard. Zerkan turned around nervously.

Who dared to enter the Crown Princess' residence without permission?

But it was the emperor and the empress who opened the door and came in rudely.

"Raphine!"

The two of them also seemed to run right away when they heard the rumor that Raphine had collapsed.

"What the hell is going on! Why did you fall all of a sudden!"

The emperor approached and looked at the rapine. The Empress also placed her hand on Rafine's forehead and shouted for a member of the council to be called immediately.

"Come on, tell me. Falling down on the way out of the Sepia Palace.... Why the hell did you go there?"

exclaimed the emperor. The Empress's expression turned cold at the word sepia palace.

Raphine glanced at Zerkan, said black, and pulled him closer.

Zerkan, who was able to sit on the bed by itself, was in a position to hold Raffine in her arms.

Raphine leaned her cheek against Zerkan's chest, and naturally took out his handkerchief and wiped his eyes.

It was a natural movement, like flowing water. Even Zerkan looked at Raffine as if possessed by the great smoke.

"that...."

Raphine wept and blurted her words.

There was no need to be held in Zerkan's arms, but somehow I wanted to do this.

So Raphine secretly filled her feelings and started talking about what happened today.

Raphine, held in the arms of the large Zerkan, looked more delicate and fragile.

"I was only invited by the Empress, but...."

The Empress took Raphine's hand and stroked the back of her hand with a sad expression.

"Suddenly, he misunderstood me, he said abusive words to me and threw food at me.... ugh."

Large tears fell from the corners of Raphine's eyes. It was such a pitiful appearance that the people who saw it bit their lip in pity.

"Throwing food...!"

The emperor was startled and put his hand on his forehead. The Empress didn't say anything, but her eyes were trembling with anger.

The emperor took a long breath and asked.

"What kind of abusive language did you use?"

"that...."

Raphine hesitated for a moment. Even if others didn't know, the Empress did not want to hear it.

Knowing the contents of that conversation will hurt you greatly.

When Raphine looked at the empress, the empress tightly closed her eyes as if she could guess.

"Tell me, Raphine. hurry."

"Actually... Just in case you didn't know, I took the necklace my spirit gave me."

Raphine patted the back of her neck.

People's eyes turned to it. A blue pendant was attached to the necklace Raphine was wearing.

It was a transparent, small glass bead pendant, inside which was filled with blue water and fluttered.

"It is a wonderful jewel. What is it?"

"It is water that contains the magical power of Orphana, the water spirit. If something happens, we can record that scene so we can see it again."

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise at Raphine's words. Recording magic tools are commercially available, but I have never heard of magic tools that record video.

Besides, no one could have guessed that a spirit could even do such a thing. The power of spirits is unknown.

Raphine lowered her eyes, pretending to be hurt, with a sly smile inside.

'Goodbye, Empress.'

* * *

The Empress, who was resting comfortably, was suddenly taken to the Sun Palace. She couldn't hide her embarrassment.

'That cheeky girl...!'

Pretending to have collapsed before himself, he certainly wasn't a kid who could be ignored.

However, the emperor wouldn't be able to blame himself too much. Because there's no evidence anyway.

Empress Rebecca bit her lip, holding back her anger while relieved.

He hated the emperor, who listened only to Raphine without any evidence and ordered to bring him back.

It was because of the effects of banned drugs, but he was once the man who whispered love.

Empress Rebecca trembled with a sense of betrayal and swallowed her tears. I never intended to shed as many tears as possible.

Empress Rebecca, who arrived at the audience, sat down on the chair prepared with a look of exhaustion.

As if interrogating a criminal, the position of the chair was amazing.

Before long, the emperor and the empress came in and sat on a large throne on the stairs.

Rebecca looked up at the two of them with a completely sick expression. It was such a pity that anyone could look at it with sympathy.

But the emperor glared at the empress without the slightest agitation.

Then, Raffine, Zerkan, and some high-ranking officials also entered the auditorium.

The empress's complexion turned pale as it felt like she was on trial.

"Bring the spirit water."

The emperor gave the order.

One of the attendants approached the table spread out in the center.

Then he began to pour the water from the small vial into the wide glass dish on the table.

'What is that?'

The queen frowned.

At the same time, the wizard cast amplification magic, and the water droplets grew larger, creating a large screen in the air.

And, to my surprise, in that screen, the previous events started to be reflected as they were.

The empress opened her mouth in amazement at the sight she had seen for the first time.

'How could this...!'

I never imagined that Raphine, who has a water spirit, would have such a power.

Due to Violet, the spirit demon, in the perception of people, it was considered that the spirit exerts great power only in battle.

By the way, not only can you show the video, but you can even hear the voice!

That's perfect evidence. Rebecca's jaw trembled, but she came to her senses.

'But Raphine, that must have been cheeky to me too, obviously...!'

Rebecca bit her lip and looked at the screen.

[Are you on a bad relationship with the Crown Prince?]

[ah....]

[The Crown Prince is not interested in how many people say that the Crown Princess is struggling alone.... tttttttttttttttttttttttttt But don't worry too much. It's not a rumor anyway.]

The appearance on the screen was Raphine's point of view.

In response to Empress Rebecca's thorny words, I could feel Raphine bowing her head in the video.

Then the low voice of Empress Rebecca was heard. Her expression looked evil.

[Ah, by the way. I heard that while I was at the monastery, I was close with our Antonio....]

[Yeah? me?]

[As an imperial adult, I give you a warning. You will have to act straight. Unless you're trying to split up a good sibling.]

[...] ... Yeah?]

[It's a voice telling you not to approach Prince Antonio unnecessarily.]

[You seem to be misunderstanding something.]

[What?]

[I have never been close to Prince Antonio. Do you like each other.... Have I ever admired the Crown Prince, His Majesty, from my childhood? It is a fact that everyone in the capital knows.]

[This cheeky bitch!]

Empress Rebecca, who was anxiously watching the screen, frowned.

It seemed that something very, very much was omitted.

'What is it? Manipulated?'

At that moment, Rebecca in the picture got up and raised her hand towards Raphine.

Raphine's shoulders trembled, and the screen went black for a moment. as if it were cut off.

"You're playing a hand sword!"

"How could that...!"

Sighs poured out from the mouths of the high-ranking officials who were seriously watching the screen.

'What is this...!'

Empress Rebecca cried out in confusion.

"No, Your Majesty! I didn't do a hand sword!"

"It seems that the habit of Prince Antonio is still there."

The emperor muttered in a confused voice. There was anger in his voice.

At that time, the screen in the water droplets continued again.

[Do you think you became an empress because you were the Crown Prince? You, too, will not be spared the same condition as the Empress anyway! Just like the emperor, Zerkan took the pick and made you suffer...!]